Fastening device



G. A. TINNERMAN Aug. 5, 1952 FASTENING DEVICE 2 SrmETs-sl-{EET 1 Filed July 26, 1948 Aug. 5, 1952 G. A. HNNERMAN l' 2,605,806

FASTENING DEVICE:

Filed July 2e. 1948 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 O I O Patented Aug. 5, 1,952

A Georgen. Tinnerman, Clevelancll'Ohio;assignor` i to` Tinnerman' Products, Inc;, Gleveland, 0hio a corporation ofOhio This invention relates iny general to.. bolt; and Vnutfastened installationsand deals; more particularly, with improvements in holding devices for attaching standard nuts, bolts, screws, rivets,

and similar studs in fastening position in an asf-Y selnbly prior to the: application of a cooperating fastening device theretofor securing theparts of the assembly. The present application' isacontinuation in part of copending" application Serial Number 672,947, filed May 291946fnow abandoned.

In many assemblies, it is necessary or desirable to use a standard nut and bolt fastening means but it is usually a dimcult problem, especially in blind locations, forfthe operator to hold the bolt or nut in place as the cooperatingI fastener is applied, or otherwise, to maintainthesame `against rotation during the final tighteningof the fasteners. In suchan assembly in which the rearn Y Wardside of a part is not conveniently or readily accessible for'holdingA a bolt ornutinfastening position prior to the application ofthe cooperati-V ing fastener, ithas been the practiceto resortxto various forms of cage devices requiring a Welding or `riveting operation for attaching thesame in providing means for holding the. nut or bolt in fastening position. A Welding or riveting opera.-

tion involves considerably increased costsiin man.- ufacture which often make the, use ofzthistype of holder prohibitive in.. many installations requiring a cheap and inexpensive fastening means. Weldedor riveted holders otherwiseare objectionable by-reason of the inordinate. amount of time required inthe installation.thereofl and the lack of any provision for shifting of thebolt or nut in attached position to compensate'formis-V alignment of the openings-in ,the'partsy secured..

-A primary objectof lthis-invention, therefore; is

to provide an improved form of holder or retainer for a nut, bolt orother clamping member whichis relatively simple and inexpensive to manufacture and includes in its'construction a spring actuated; type attaching means adapted for'quick and easy` clip or snap fastening application tov attach the nut or bolt in fastening position in an-installation in a minimum of time and eifort. A.

A further object of the invention is--to provide such holders for conventional or standard nuts and bolts in the formof a simplified sheet metal device having spring actuated hook` type attach.-Y

ing means designed for clip or Vsnap fasteningat tachment in an opening in a part to retainfthe bolt or nut against accidental removal o1' displa`cement While otherwise holding the same against turning as the associated fastener isthreadedtherewith and tightened.

Another, @eject ofthe inventan; is" t6; prevideho'lders., ofthe., kind described which' ,provi'de for shifting or adjustment of' the attached fastenerrv as necessary to compensate for misalignment" in theboltopenings in ther parts secured;

Further objects and c advantages, and

invention ywill bev readily apparentv as the. following description proceeds with reference'tothe a'ccompanying drawings,.for purposesof illustration butV noti of.' limitation,- in which like reference characters. designateY like parts throughout the sameand"inwhich;V` E

Fig. 1 isfan.enlargediperspectiveView ofaiform of holder, or. retainer in accordance'` with the invention aspitovided for attachinganfiut'r inA fasitening position on a supportingpanel;

Fig. 2 is a sideview, partly in section,v showing the holder of Fig. 1 as assembledwith a nut and.

in position to be attached in an assembling open-v ing in apanel or other support ;V

Fig. 3l is an end' View ofthe combined holder and.

nut shoWninFi'g. 2';

Fig. 4 is a sectionalview showingthenut holder in attached position in the panel' opening and. retaining thenut in a floating mounting.;` and Fig. 5 is a bottom plan View of Fig. 4'; Fig. 6`is an4 enlarged perspective `view off'another form of.. the holder as providedjfor` attaching a bolt. in anopening in the supportihgpaneb. and. Fig, 'lis a sectionalview showingthefastenerof.

Fig. 6 as attachedinthe ,panelopening and holdingvthe bolt thereonagainst relative turning.A

Fig. 8 lis a perspective View of. another form of the holder as designedfor attaching a bolt in a panel opening;

-Fig..9 is a view showing/the nutlholder of Fig. #3` in edge elevation and as assembled. with a bolt` to'be attached in a panel opening ;v

Fig'.rv 10 is a sectional viewv showing. the.: assembled bolt and holder of Fig. 9. in attached position in a panel opening; v v

Fig. 11 is a sectional view of-.Fig. 10i-along line H--Il,A looking inthe directionof, the; arrows; and i Fig. 12 is a sectional view of Fig. lalonggline l2--I2, showing thebolt holder, in bottom plan,

view as'attached in the panel opening...

Referringnow, more particularly., tothe drawn ings, Figs. 1-5 inclusive show a form offastener in' inaccordance `with. the invention as provided. for use as a holder or retainer for a nut. The .fastener is constructed from a sheet metal section of `a size and configuration determined bythe shapaand.

size of the nut with which it is to be used and may v y 'othernew and usefulfeaturcsin the construction;l arrangey ment andv generalcombination" of" parts' of the be readily designed for use with any type of nut or equivalent clamping member such as the head of the bolt. In the present example, the holder is shown as constructed for use with a standard square nut N to be attached over an opening in a panel P. Any suitable sheet metal may be employed for making the nut holder I but preferably that of a spring metal nature such as spring steel or cold rolled steel having spring like characteristics.

The sheet metal blank forming the nut holder Ill` is bent to define a central base portion I I having end portions thereof bent upwardly to define a pair of spaced arms I2 and inwardly bent flanges I3 conforming generally to the shape of the nut N but of larger size to provide for a floating mounting of the nut. On opposite sides of the y base II between the side arms I2, stop elements are provided in any suitable manner, as by spaced lugs I5 which retain the nut between the side arms I2 with theinturned anges I3 overlying the top of the nut to enclose the same within the nut holder. In general, the arrangement is such that the side arms I2 may be exed apart as necessary to slip the nut through the space between the ends of theinturned iianges I3 to a position substantially as Lshown in Figs. 2 and 4, in which the holder retains the nut in the manner of a cage device defined by the sidel arms I2, inturned flanges I3 and lugs I5, as aforesaid.

The nut, as thus retained by the nut holder, has its threaded opening in line with an enlarged bolt passage in the base II of the holder but capable of considerable shifting or adjustment in any lateral direction between the armsv I2 and lugs I5 as necessary to compensate for misalignment and other irregularities in' the bolt openings in the parts to be secured. Y

The bolt passage in the base II of the nut holder is provided along'with stamped or. struck out attaching elements I5 for retaining the nut holder in attached position inthe opening I in the supporting part P. As shown in Fig. 1,such a bolt passage is provided together with abutments I6, or the like, in the form of collar or hub sections bordering such bolt passage and projecting from the underside of the fastener base Il. These collar or hub sections I6 are designed in any form to correspond substantially to the contour of the panel opening. In the present illustration,.the panel opening is of generally rectangular configuration and accordingly, said collar sections I6 comprise straight flat surfaces designed to be snugly received therein in. nonrotatable abutting relation with opposing straight side Walls of such rectangular panel opening.

The attaching means of the fastener comprise a pair of cooperating, yieldable spring fingers Ii or the like carried'by the side arms I2 .and these spring fingers preferably are provided by strip portions stamped from said arms I2 and the adjoining portions of the base II. The springngers I1 thus provided are joined to the side arms I 2 adjacent the inwardly bent iianges i3 and are bent in the general form shown in Fig. 2 to comprise outwardly inclined portions I8 which project outwardly out of the plane of the associated side arm I2 when the fastener is'in normal untensioned condition as shown in Fig. 2. rEhe free end portions of said spring fingers i'l are bent inwardly toward each other in the general plane of the fastener base II and are return bent to dene outwardly bent hook elements I9, or other suitable shoulders which, in untensioned relation, are spaced apart a distance greater than the width of the panel opening I so as to engage wall portions thereof under tension. Said hook elements I9 otherwise are preferably provided in a predetermined size approximating the thickness of the panel adjacent the panel opening so as to clasp opposing marginal portions of the panel opening insnug, frictional :engagement there- With.

The holderv thus provided, and the nut N assembled therewith as shown in Fig. 2, is easily and quickly attached in the opening I in the panel P simply by compressing the outwardly inclined projecting portions I8 of the spring arms I'I to move the hooks I9 on the extremities thereof inwardly toward each other as necessary to Vpass through said opening. The fastener base II is simultaneously seated on the panel P with the at abutments I6 in positive engagement with opposing straight side walls of the generally rectangular panel opening I. The spring fingers II are then released from their compressed condition, and, in attempting to assume their initial outwardly inclined relation, force the hooks i to spread apart and thereby frictionally and grippingly engage the adjacent marginal portions of the panel opening, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5, to retain the holder in attached position.

The spring fingers I'I as thus attached do not assume their initial untensioned relation but rather, remain biased inwardly approximately in the planes of the arms I2 in the engaged position of the hooks I9 in the panel opening as seen in Fig. 4. Consequently, the spring fingers i1 exert a constant outward spring force on the hooks I9 in frictional, gripping engagement with the marginal portions of panel opening I. This arrangement in'many instances is sufficient to maintain the holder in attached position against relative turning on the panel when the bolt is threaded therewith and tightened.A However, to insure side walls of the generally rectangular. panel opening I, as aforesaid. rIn addition, the hook elements I9 preferably are so designed as to clasp the opposite sides of the panel adjacent the opening so that the holder is maintained against relative axial as well asfrelative rotative displacement in attached position.

Figs. 6 and 7 disclose a holder 2S having the same general construction, aforesaid, as provided for attaching a bolt B in nonrotative position in the panel opening I. The bolt is assembled with the holder by slipping te bolt shank through the passage in the fastener base II and flexing the inturned flanges I3 apart as lnecessary to slip the bolt head between the side arms I2. Inasmuch as the bolt shank retains the bolt against lateral displacement in assembly with the holder, there is'no need for lstop elements on the fastener `base so that this construction is further simplified by aA straight edge design of the sides of the base I I. The holder in this form of the invention is provided with spring finger attaching means I which arel similar to those described with reference to the fastener of Figs. 1-5 inclusive and which are applied in a similar manner to retain the bolt on the panel against both relative rotative and axial displacement.

Figs. 8-12 inclusive show another form of bolt holder 30 which includes an alternate arrangement for retaining the bolt againstaxial disasoman@ 5 placement and which otherwise is designed for assembly ofthe bolt therewith either prior to or after the holder is attached to the panel. The holder has the same general construction as the previously described forms of the invention but is further simplified in that the inturned flanges overlying the bolt head are omitted.

The bolt holder is provided with similar spring finger attaching means l'i and includes abutments I5 formed with integral cooperating tongues 34, or the like. These tongues are designed to engage the bolt shank in the manner of a clutch to permit passage thereof in one direction in the assembly of the bolt with the bolt holder but prevent reverse axial movement of the bolt shank toward disassembly from the holder. The bolt B may be assembled with the holder and thereby secured to part P, either before or after the bolt holder is attached in the panel opening in said part. Accordingly, with the bolt holder with. During the axial movement of the boltv shank past the tongues 313, the extremities of r said tongues ratchet over the bolt threads to a position adjacent the underside of the bolt head. In this position, the tongues bite into the bolt shank and prevent any reverse axial movement toward separation of the bolt from assembled l relation with the bolt holder. Inasmuch as the bolt is held against relative turning by the side arms l2 in engagement with the side faces of the bolt head, the bolt in attached position shown in Fig. 10 is thus securely attached to the panel against relative rotative as well as relative axial movement. In the alternate method of attachment, the bolt is first assembled in a similar manner with the holder as shown in Fig. 9 and this assembly then attached to the panel as seen in Fig. 10 in the same general procedure described with reference to the fastener of Figs. l-5 inclusive.

It will be appreciated that the holder in any form is admirably suited for blind fastening installations wherein` a nut or the head of a bolt is in cooperation with said tongues, and fingers car-V not conveniently or readily accessible for the ap- Y plication of a tool as the associated fastener is applied and tightened. In vthis regard, the side arms I2 of the holder, in engaging the periphery of a bolt head, nut or other clamping member, serve as a coupling means with the attaching fingers Il and abutments I6 to prevent any possible relative turning of the clamping member in attached position on the panel.

Additionally, the construction of the fastener in any form is such that the base H serves as a bearing washer under the nut or the head of the bolt or the clamping surface of any other clamp type of fastener, thereby dispensing with the need for washers and also lock washers which makes for considerable savings not only in the cost of these devices but also in the amount of labor and time in assembling operations.

While the invention has been described in detail with specific examples, such examples are intended as illustrations only inasmuch as changes inthe construction and arrangement of the fasteners within the broad scope of the instant disclosure are fully contemplated.

What is claimed is:

1. An integral resilient sheet metal retainer for a nut or bolt head comprising a base adapted to seat against a surface of a support over'an opening having a noncircular wall, opposed abutments projecting from the underside of the base adapted to be received in said opening in abutting relation to said wall, said base being connected to spaced opposed arms bent upwardly from said base, ngers carried by said opposed arms comprising strips integral with said arms at one end and having free end portions provided from the material of said arms and adjoining portions of the base, said fingers being bent to deiine outwardly projecting/portions projecting bodily outwardly out of the planes of said arms above said base and portions bent inwardly in the general plane of the base and hook portions below said base having a normal spacing greater than the size of the opening in the support so as to engage marginal portions of said opening under tension, and means to retain a nut or bolt head on said base between said arms.

2. A sheet metal retainer for a bolthead comprising a base adapted to seat against a surface of a support over anA opening having a noncircular wall, abutments projecting from the underside of the base adapted to be received in said opening in abutting relation to said noncircular wall, opposed tongues on said abutments extending inwardly toward each other for engaging the shank of a bolt, said base being connected to spaced opposed arms having free ends and bent upwardly from said base for engaging the head of said bolt ried by said opposed arms comprising strips inte'- gral with said arms at one end and having free end portions provided from the material of said arms and adjoining portions of the base, said fmgers being bent to dene Voutwardly projecting portions extending normally out of the planes of said arms and portions bent inwardly in the general plane of the base and outwardlyk extending extremities dening hooks below said base having a normal spacing greater than the size of the opening in the support so as to engage marginal portions of said opening under tension.

y GEORGE A. TINNERMAN.

REFERENCES errar) The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,753,791 Kiesel Apr. 8, 1930 2,079,917 Mitchel May 1l, 1937 2,079,918 Mitchel May 11, 1937 2,255,971 I-Iall Sept. 16, 1941 2,267,379 Tinnerman Dec'. 23, 1941 2,290,939 Brown July 28, 1942 2,391,046 'Iinnerman Dec. 18, 1945 2,400,545 Kost May 21, 1946 2,433,607 Hallock Dec. 30, 1947 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 546,807 Great Britain July 30, 1942 

